Couch (NaLu)
by Pepin-Bones
Summary: Natsu has to go on a solo mission (not that he wants to) and Lucy finds herself unable to sleep without him. What's her solution?


_Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters (I wish). I just enjoy writing about them. They all belong to Hiro Mashima._

A/N (9/16/17): Oh my gosh! I am SO sorry! It took 2 reviews with someone saying something went wrong for me to finally notice, but I had attached too much of the story to this so some of my other ideas/thoughts were actually included! Ugh! I'm sorry if you'd already read this and something seemed a little off. I would like to blame that I'm still new to this site and uploading my documents the way it has you do... I keep all my thoughts/options in case I change my mind later but I have got to be more careful... Anyway. I'm sorry again and hopefully this is the FINAL time that happens!

"Why do I have to go alone?" Natsu asked, an edge in his voice that Mira wasn't used to hearing.

"The request was made specifically for you, Natsu. Sending anyone else with you would incur extra cost and that's not what the client wants," Master Makarov answered sternly from his place on the bar in front of Natsu. He sat like he usually did, with his legs crisscrossed in front of him, a large mug of beer at his side, his arms folded across his chest. His irritation at Natsu's reluctance was palpable in the air. Mira stood behind the master in her usual place behind the bar.

"What if they don't ask to be paid?"

Mira tilted her head to the side, well-aware of who he was talking about. "You really think Lucy will want to go on a mission and not get paid for it? She does that often enough when you and Gray destroy everything."

Natsu opened his mouth to argue but then closed it. "Why are they asking just for me?"

"It doesn't exactly say." She looked at the ad then back up at the distraught fire dragon slayer in front of her. "If it's that big of a deal for you to go alone, I'll simply tell them you can't make it. I'm sure they will understand." She hesitated, planning her words carefully. "And I'm sure they will find someone else who can use the key."

"Wait, key? What key?" He instantly perked up. Because of Lucy, he was always on the look out for celestial spirit keys, although he was usually better at hiding it.

"Didn't you read the fine print? They have a powerful silver key they are willing to give you for coming in addition to the reward money. I guess they heard you usually travel with a celestial spirit wizard."

"If they know that then they shouldn't mind if she comes along," he argued.

"For heaven's sake, Natsu!" Erza suddenly shouted, a dark aura emanating from around her as she seemed to grow larger at his side. "Are you a child who can't leave his mother's side? Just go on the job already! It shouldn't take you long, they are asking _for you_ specifically, and you will get something for Lucy! What's so hard to understand about that?!"

Natsu's ears burned as he looked at the bar top in front of him, grateful Lucy was at home and not at the guild to hear their argument. His empty glass of fire whiskey sat next to his empty plate in front of him – Master Makarov had used both as an attempt to bribe him into accepting the solo mission. It had almost worked. He couldn't remember the last time he had gone on a mission without Lucy and it just didn't feel right. "Are you that willing to shame Fairy Tail's name?" Master Makarov finally ground out, knowing exactly what to say to get a reaction out of Natsu.

"What?!" Natsu shouted, leaping off of his stool and knocking it over with smoke seeping from between his fingers. "Of course not!"

"Then get the hell out of here!"

His eyes narrowing at the three before him, Natsu turned on his heel and stormed off, determined to finish the job as quickly as possible.

* * *

There was nothing to be done about it. Natsu was gone and now Lucy was alone. True, he wasn't going to be gone for that long, the request wasn't supposed to be that difficult, but still. He wasn't there. He stopped by on his way out of town, explaining the situation with an unhappy look on his face. She had simply smiled and tried to be supportive, offering encouragement and excitement that someone had thought to request him specifically. He hadn't seemed enthused when he left, which made their parting even harder for her. That was a week ago now, but it felt like so much longer.

In Natsu's absence, she started a fire and had been shocked at how long it actually took to start the fire without his flames. She had never given fire much thought before, never truly appreciated what it could give – light, heat, warmth, safely cooked food, a sense of safety and security, boosted spirits, and even just a homely feel. Now she could not think of fire without thinking of Natsu, and could not think of Natsu without thinking of fire. Was it any wonder that when she missed him she would want a fire? She thought it was perfectly logical.

What she found less logical, but was coming to accept, was the fact that she couldn't sleep without him. Well, couldn't sleep in her own bed anyway. True, she used to yell at him and kick him out of her bed every time she found him in it, but she didn't do that as often anymore, and in fact preferred to have him there. Preferred it so much in fact, that since he left she was unable to sleep in her own bed – it simply felt too big in his absence. The first night he was gone she had tossed and turned, winding herself up in her blankets until she felt strangled. She had tried to write, then to read to settle her thoughts, then she tried staring at the stars, leaving her window open to welcome in the cool breeze. The open window only reminded her that Natsu wouldn't be coming and made her even more melancholy, eventually driving her to close it. That was when she had finally given up and left the bed, settling into the couch in front of the fire with a book on her lap in the wee hours of the morning until sleep finally claimed her. And so it was that she began sleeping on the couch, the back of the couch offering some comfort in Natsu's absence, and the proximity of the couch to the fireplace offering some solace and warmth as well. Although she would never admit any of this to him and would vehemently deny all of it if asked.

Now, she was settled into the couch for another long night with a good book, a warm cup of tea sitting on the table before her. Her knees were pulled up in front of her, her book opened on her legs as she braced her arms on her throw pillows. It was late fall and it was chilly outside, so at least she could justify a fire, should anyone ask. Now that she wasn't sleeping in her bed and the window wasn't in her direct line of sight as a painful reminder, she left the window cracked – offering Natsu an easy way inside should he return while she was asleep or, Mavis forbid, in the bath. As though he could sense her thoughts, Plue wiggled and squirmed at her feet. "Puun!"

Smiling softly, Lucy reached down and scratched him between the ears. She hated to admit it, but she even missed Happy. "Just wishful thinking, huh, Plue?" she breathed, feeling her cheeks warm even though it was just the two of them. She had never admitted to anyone, not even to Levy, how her feelings toward Natsu had changed. She wasn't sure when it happened, or even when it had _started_ to happen. Maybe she had always felt this way? Regardless, being around him now was both a blessing and a curse. She both greatly enjoyed it and wanted to be with him every moment of every day, and hated it because she felt so anxious and nervous – like he would notice that she suddenly felt awkward and unsure of herself in his presence. She both loved and hated being alone with him. And she blamed it all on her stupid racing heart and her wild imagination – her wild imagination that, especially as of late, was getting more and more active. "Maybe it's a good thing he's not here!" she whispered with a laugh.

Plue sat up and placed his trembling paws on her leg. "Puun," he said, his voice lower than usual. He missed the fire dragon slayer too.

"Plue, you're not helping," Lucy chastised.

Looking chagrined, Plue sat back and pouted, his body still trembling, as Lucy flung herself from the couch with a huff. "I can't take this anymore! It's too dull and boring without Natsu around!" she complained to the celestial spirit dog. "And now it's too late to go visit anyone else," she muttered to herself, eying the clock on the wall. It was already after ten. "Or is it?"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Lucy strutted into the guild hall, taking less time than usual to get ready considering she knew Natsu wasn't going to be there. Regardless, she was still dressed to impress in a short black skirt and a pink top trimmed with white. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she chose pink because it reminded her of her missing best friend. She wore her tall, knee length boots and a long coat to block out the cold, and had her hair pulled half back into a side ponytail like she used to wear it when she and Natsu first met.

"Lookin' good, Lucy!" came several slurred shouts from the bar the moment she walked in. Although her cheeks blushed, she didn't acknowledge them. It was odd to hear such catcalls without resounding flaming fists answering them.

"Lu-chan!" came a familiar voice Lucy was more than happy to hear. "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight!" Levy called, bounding over.

"Levy!" Lucy answered, pulling the small solid-script mage into a hug. "I couldn't sleep," she quietly added.

When they separated, Levy wisely looked up at Lucy. Next to Natsu, Levy knew Lucy the best. They had bonded quickly once Lucy joined the guild and they discovered their mutual love for books. "Well it would be a shame to waste such a wonderful Friday night!" Levy teased after hiding her serious look. She elbowed Lucy in the side once Lucy hung up her coat and all but dragged her to the bar. "Mira, we need shots!"

"What? No!" Lucy argued.

"Did someone say shots?"

"Erza?!"

"What?"

"Since when do you do shots with Levy?"

Erza stared at her with a blank expression and blinked, then looked back to Mira as though Lucy's question did not dignify a response. "Mira!"

"I'm coming!"

Moments later the three had downed their shots (Lucy was too scared to question what they were) and were gathered around each other. "Where have you been, Lucy? Since Natsu left, I haven't seen you around the guild much?" Erza asked. By the sound of her voice, she had already had plenty to drink.

Lucy looked at Erza with an eyebrow raised. "I've been trying to work on my novel," she answered honestly.

Levy nudged her in the side. "Awe, come on! The guild just isn't the same without Natsu, is it?"

"Levy!"

Gray took that moment to flop against the bar at Erza's side. Like usual, he was missing his shirt, but from the hooded expression of his eyes and the slowness of his movements, it was also apparent he had been drinking for quite some time as well. "I gotta admit this place isn't quite as exciting as it usually is without Flame Brain."

Behind the bar, Mira chuckled. "It's not often we get requests for one wizard in particular. He couldn't very well turn it down."

"I hear it didn't stop him from trying," Gray drawled, before Erza's fist flew and caught him in the face.

"Gray!" Erza snapped.

"What?" Lucy and Levy asked.

"Ignore him," Erza commanded, turning back to the bar as though nothing happened while Gray slid to the floor with a whimper.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia called, immediately running to his aid.

"Here!" Mira covered for the mishap, sliding more drinks to the girls.

Lucy let Gray's comment go for nearly an hour, taking the drinks the girls offered and chatting easily with her friends. It was the first time in days she felt she could relax, but it still didn't feel right. She still felt like a part of her was missing. It was as the alcohol was truly taking effect that she turned to Mira, deciding Erza was not to be trusted for the moment. "Mira-chan."

Mira cautiously turned to Lucy, always suspicious when anyone used such names with her. "Yes, Lucy?"

"What was Gray talking about earlier?"

Mira reached for a glass to clean. She always did better when she had something to clean. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Leaning heavily on the counter, Lucy leveled Mira with her gaze. "Come on, Mira. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Why would Erza knock him out over such a comment? What did he mean that Natsu tried to turn down the solo job?" She tried to squash it, refusing to give herself any sort of false hope, but her heart was beating faster and felt warmer in her chest at the possibility that this had something to do with her.

Mira's eyes closed as she smiled and shrugged, fully intending to hide what she knew. But the tension in Lucy's face changed her mind and she stepped closer, her eyes on Erza. "It means exactly what it sounds like. Natsu didn't want to go alone," she chose her words carefully.

Mira's answer did nothing for her and Lucy took a long drink from her margarita. "Oh," she sighed. "At least he has Happy."

Reaching across the bar to squeeze her hand, Mira offered Lucy a sincere smile. "It wasn't just Happy he wanted to come with him, Lucy."

Her heart renewing its frantic pounding once more, Lucy's mind immediately turned to the places it had been turning to more recently. Could it be he felt the same way? Could he (dare she even think it) want the same things she did? "Who did he want to come with him?" she whispered.

"I'll have another!" Erza shouted from just a foot away, breaking the moment between the two as she went to throw her now empty strawberry daiquiri glass to the floor.

"Mira!" Gray yelled, as Juvia caught the glass in water to keep it from shattering on the floor.

"Where's Jellal when you need him?" Mira teased, moving away to calm the belligerent wizard, leaving Lucy to look after her in wonder.

It was then that Lucy realized how late it was and how drunk she actually felt. She had lost count of how many drinks she and the girls had shared, the night quickly turning into a girl's night, which was just fine with her. She was grateful for the time spent with Erza, Levy, and Mira, even if Gray did butt in from time to time. Now she was faced with a much more serious problem. How was she going to get home? She'd gotten home in worse shape before, but that was always with Natsu as a helpful (or sometimes not so helpful, but even then at least he was there) guide. "Mira?" she asked, slipping off her barstool to land on her slightly unsteady feet. "I think I should head home."

Mira took one look at her and shook her head. "Uh uh," she muttered. Her eyes scanned the few members remaining in the crowd. "Levy! Gajeel!"

"What?" Gajeel snapped. He sounded as sober as a rock.

"Lucy needs some help getting home."

"Ask Salamander," Gajeel grumbled.

"Gajeel!" Levy argued, smacking him in the arm. Even Lily folded his arms across his chest and shook his head in disapproval.

"Natsu's on a mission," Mira answered. "I'm not asking."

Levy's eyes widened at Mira's tone. Gajeel was either too dense or too stubborn to be afraid of Mira, but he went along with it for Levy's sake. "Fine," he shrugged. "Come on, Pipsqueak."

Levy frowned at him, but the moment he turned his back to her, her face broke out into a grin that made Lucy smile.

* * *

"So Salamander left you alone while he went on a mission, huh? Can't say I expected that," Gajeel pointed out as they walked through the nearly deserted streets to Lucy's apartment. Their breaths plumed little clouds in front of them as they walked.

Levy watched Lucy's reaction closely. Gajeel could be such an idiot. He may be trying to poke fun at Natsu, but he clearly didn't have any idea how his words might affect Lucy. "It was a special request just for him," Lucy explained, her eyes on her feet as they walked.

"Seriously?"

Lucy found herself smiling at the surprise in Gajeel's voice. "Surprised?" she taunted as she turned around to look at him. She shouldn't have turned around.

"Look out, Lucy!" Levy shouted right as Lucy slipped.

Even Gajeel didn't react fast enough as Lucy slipped on the edge and lost her footing. She was walking on the ledge along the river like she always did. It was too late for the fishermen in the boat to shout cautions at her, not like she ever listened. Luckily, she fell toward the road and not the river, slipping onto her knee and skinning it as she landed hard with a boot heel in her butt. "Ow!"

Even though he had tried to catch her, Gajeel couldn't help but laugh. "Gee hee." Still, he reached out a hand to help her up. "You all right?"

Accepting his help, Gajeel hauled Lucy to her feet and she dusted herself off, blood trickling down her left knee and leaking from her left hand from where she tried to catch herself. "I'm all right. Thanks."

"Maybe next time you won't walk on the ledge," he cautioned.

"Try all you want, Gajeel. She's been doing that since day one and she's not going to stop any time soon," Levy interjected with a smile as they resumed their walking.

They were in front of Lucy's apartment a moment later, Lucy grateful for the company on the way home despite the fact that somehow their presence made her feel even more lonely. "Thank you for walking me home."

Levy hugged her, squeezing her so tightly Lucy couldn't breathe. "Of course! I'm glad you came out tonight! We need to do this more often!"

"Maybe next time Salamander and I can have a drinking contest!" Gajeel challenged with a smile.

Her cheeks warming, Lucy smiled at them and turned to head up the stairs. "Good night!" she called from her door before stepping inside. When she went to open her window for the night, she could still see them walking back to Fairy Hills, where Levy stayed. They were walking hand-in-hand now that no one could see them. "Oh Lev," Lucy breathed, feeling tears sting her eyes even though she was over-joyed for her friend.

Her head spinning and her limbs numb both from the alcohol and the cold, Lucy rushed through getting ready for bed, scarcely managing a quick shower and brushing her teeth before collapsing onto the couch.

* * *

It was nearly three in the morning when the window was cautiously slid open, and immediately shut. He knew she left the window open for him, the fact that she left it cracked in his absence warming his heart even as he sensed the chill in the room. Moving uncharacteristically quietly for him, Natsu carefully took his sandals off, setting them next to the rug beneath the window that Lucy had bought just for him and looked to the bed, fully expecting to see the lump of her body there. The bed was empty. "Wha," he whispered in surprise.

Sniffing the air, he knew Lucy was home. He could smell her the moment he came through the window. It was a smell he had longed for, ever since he left her a week before. It was still her scent, but there were other scents mixed with it. The distinct smell of alcohol was clear, as was smoke. His eyes immediately moved to the fireplace in front of the couch and he could tell she had been using it and it made his heart warm to think that maybe she missed fire while he was away. The moment he sniffed again, his body tensed. _Wait, why do I smell blood?_ Her _blood?_

As he approached the sleeping form on the couch, Natsu could see her hair was still damp and when he looked toward the bathroom, he could see her clothes still scattered about the floor – something she rarely if ever did. One bloodied cloth lay on the side of the bathroom sink. "How much did you have to drink tonight, Luce?" he whispered into the darkness, trying to stifle the flame of jealousy that went through him despite his concern over seeing and smelling blood.

Unable to think with the smell of her blood in his mind, he gently kneeled down beside the couch, more than a little curious as to why she was on the couch and not her bed, but not able to focus on that. Trying not to disturb her, he pulled the blanket up, peering underneath to search for any obvious wounds. She was turned away from him, presenting only her back, one rounded hip, and the bottoms of the feet as her legs were bent up.

Frowning, Natsu dropped the blanket with a huff. What blood he could smell was old and not fresh, and he had to satisfy himself with that for the time being. Rising to his feet once more, he twisted his lips to the side and tried to decide what to do. He had been traveling all day. He probably stunk. If he crawled into her bed now, she'd probably give him a Lucy Kick, even though he would welcome it right now. With a sigh, he set his pack down and rushed to take a shower and wash off the grime.

While in the shower, Natsu let his mind wander. Why had he rushed home? Why had he been so reluctant to leave in the first place? Hell, he had even argued with Master and Erza about going without Lucy… He had only been gone a week, and he had been busy much of the time, but he had still been lonely. Happy cheered him up as best he could, but it just wasn't the same. His heart had felt heavy. "What is this?" he asked himself out loud as the water pounded onto his shoulders. It wasn't a new feeling, it had been there for quite some time now, it was just increasing in strength as time went on. He found it harder and harder to be away from Lucy, but why?

Trying to clear his thoughts, Natsu closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the hot water run through his hair. Taking deep breaths of the now steamy air, he tried to push the confusing thoughts from his mind. They left, only to be replaced with more base thoughts, the thoughts that plagued him at night and often times now throughout the day; thoughts he was having a harder and harder time suppressing. He saw Lucy in ways he shouldn't be seeing her, but ways he _wanted_ to see her. He saw her snuggling against him purposefully in bed, not just while sleeping, his arms wrapped around her while she buried her face in his chest; saw her laying beneath him, her hair splayed out across the pillow. He could feel her lips inviting his and touch the softness of her skin without fear of a Lucy Kick. It was too easy to lose himself in the fantasy and he startled himself back into reality with a jump. "Shit!"

Shaking himself and cursing his thoughts, Natsu quickly finished his shower and put on some clean boxers and pants – he didn't trust himself to sleep in only his underwear. After running warmed fingers through his hair to dry it, he came from the bathroom faced with another dilemma. What should he do with Lucy? She lay snuggled into the couch, the blankets snuggly wrapped around her, her face buried into the back of the couch, but he couldn't sleep with her there. Should he leave her there and take the bed? He immediately shook his head. That sounded like a horrible idea. Should he wake her and tell her he was home? That he had a surprise for her? Although possibly pleasant, that also sounded like a horrible idea. In the end, his body decided for him.

"Luce," he whispered, kneeling beside the couch. His fingers were suddenly running through her hair without his knowledge.

She moaned softly in her sleep, burying her face in the pillow. "Nnnn," she breathed.

He smiled softly. He could watch her sleep for hours. "Luce," he murmured again.

"N-Natsu?" she sighed, her lips curling up at the edges into a smile, but her eyes were still closed.

His head cocked to the side, Natsu looked at her for a moment, trying to decide if she was still sleeping or awake. _Is she dreaming about me?_ He could faintly hear her heartbeat, still slow and steady in sleep, and it decided for him. Moving much more gently than was normal for him, he slipped his arms beneath her and pulled her to him. Lucy simply squirmed and mumbled into his chest, her breath warm on his skin. Warming himself to compensate for the loss of the blanket, he took her to the bed, gently depositing her beneath the covers before crawling in beside her. He didn't allow himself to think twice about it, and immediately pulled her into the circle of his arms once he was beneath the covers with her.

As soon as they were settled into bed, Natsu froze, his arms firmly wrapped around Lucy. _If she wakes up and I'm holding her like this, she'll give me a Lucy Kick for sure,_ he thought. But as his hand smoothed down the hair at the back of her head, his hand warming to dry the still damp hair without thinking about it, he realized that he didn't care. He had been without her for a week and it had been too long.

"Mmmmm," Lucy murmured in her sleep, snuggling deeper into the warmth that encompassed her. She took a deep breath in, having felt herself floating for a moment and thinking it had been the liquor. Now the warmth that surrounded her was quickly pulling her back into sleep. The familiar scent of cinnamon and spices lulled her into an easy sense of safety and security. "Feels nice," she slurred, not realizing she spoke out loud.

Smiling to himself, Natsu nodded gently, pulling her closer. When her arms slipped around his waist and her legs intertwined with his, his heart jumped into his throat. _What is she doing?! She's still sleeping, right?!_ He felt himself panicking at their sudden intimacy, even if he did enjoy it.

Nuzzling against what she thought were the couch pillows, Lucy sighed, slipping back into the depths of her dream. She could _feel_ Natsu in her arms and she would be damned if anything was going to pull her from _this_ dream _this_ time! It was too good to let go. "Natsu," she murmured, pressing herself against him and trailing her hand up from its place on his waist. He felt so _real!_

Natsu froze. _Is she awake?_ Her heart was beating a little faster, but not by much. _Should I let this continue?_ Part of him wanted to, a _very_ large part of him, but he also wasn't sure that that would be right… Regardless, her feather-light touch at his side tickled and made him squirm. "Luce," he whispered, nuzzling his nose in her hair gently. He found the scent of her vanilla shampoo intoxicating.

Lucy's heart fluttered at the feeling of Natsu nuzzling her. Oh, how she longed for him to do something so affectionate, so sweet! She knew he didn't have it in him, though, or at least, not for her, so she would take his touches where she could get them – in her dreams. When Natsu nuzzled her again, a wave of heat radiating from before her, her heart cried out with joy and she pulled herself up, searching for him. She needed to kiss him before this dream ended!

"Luce, wake up," Natsu demanded, his voice deep and husky in her ear.

A shiver worked its way down Lucy's spine at the feeling of Natsu's hot breath tickling in her ear. That shiver, and the solid feel of muscle against her that came with it, slowly broke through her sleepy stupor, but she fought it. _No, I don't want to leave this dream!_

Natsu froze when her lips grazed his neck, even though it was completely by accident. Her breath was cool and gentle against his suddenly hot skin, and he closed his eyes, grinding his teeth to try to control himself. The fire her soft murmurs had stoked within him was only growing the longer she remained in his arms. "Damn it, Lucy," he growled, trembling with the effort to restrain himself.

"I miss you," she whimpered, her voice soft and pitiful in the darkness.

Any sense Natsu had vanished at the sound of her broken voice. "I'm right here, Luce," he answered, smoothing her hair down and kissing the top of her head.

She was slipping back under again. "Dream," she mumbled.

He shifted; rolling enough that his mouth was back beneath her ear, the soft scent of her shampoo flooding his senses again. The gentle swell of her breasts pressed against his bare chest as he pressed her back against the mattress. He brushed her hair back behind her ear before whispering, "This isn't a dream, Luce." His breath was now hot on her neck, his lips just grazing her skin but leaving a trail of fire. The moment he tasted her, he realized it was a mistake. He wanted more.

"Mmmm," she sighed as she shivered.

"Luce." He nuzzled her more firmly this time. With each movement his mouth was closer and closer to hers, but he was trying to resist the temptation. Even so, his hand trailed down her side to grip her hip. It was as much an act of restraint as sensuality. "Please, wake up."

Lucy nuzzled him this time, her nose surprisingly cool against his hot neck. He sucked in a surprised breath when her chilly nose touched him, then moved up close to his ear. Her arms moved from his waist to his shoulders, her eyes still closed as she half-dreamed their encounter. He shivered beneath her this time, his grip on her tightening as he fought for some semblance of control. "Lucy, please," he begged.

Through the fog of her dream, Lucy heard him, but she heard him asking for something else. He was begging for her to kiss him, just as she begged to be kissed. "Natsu," she purred, her lips only millimeters away from his. He could taste the sweetness of her breath, and even though he shut his eyes and ground his teeth, he couldn't shut her out. She was clinging to him, her scent surrounding him, enticing him more than any of his fantasies could have.

"Damn it," he cursed. Taking her hand from his shoulder, he intertwined his fingers with hers and pinned her hand above her head. When he felt the abrasions to her palm, he looked up, his fingertips gently grazing the broken skin as his brow furrowed curiously. Her gentle prodding at his neck brought him back to what he had been doing, however, and he slipped his fingers back between hers and sucked in a nervous breath. _Please don't hate me, Luce,_ he pled internally as he lowered his lips to hers.

Natsu hadn't been thinking. The moment Lucy started nuzzling against him and whispering in the dark, logic no longer applied to him, which was why he was surprised when Lucy didn't even stiffen at his touch. Quite the opposite, she sighed happily, all but melting into the bed at her back, as her lips met his. The kiss was soft and gentle, nervous, as he gently squeezed her hand, but his body was partially working without him and he was pressing her into the bed without realizing it. He only realized it when he realized she was arching up, pressing herself just as strongly into him as he did into her.

Lucy finally came awake when Natsu's lips grew firmer against hers, his heart hammering so fiercely against his chest she could feel it. While surprise did ripple through her, she could feel the tension radiating from him, and from the way he partially pinned her, she could tell this had been his doing. Her heart soared, her stomach doing nervous flips as she tried to throw her arms around his neck only to find one hand restrained in his. When her hand reflexively gripped his as she came awake, his grip momentarily loosened as though waiting to see what she wanted. She returned his kiss, her free hand sliding up his shoulder to bury her fingers in his wild hair, and it was like he had been waiting for her. The moment her heart started racing, her blood pounding wildly through her veins, his hand gripped hers more firmly and he cautiously licked at her lower lip until she parted her lips, letting him in while still playing with him at the same time. A wave of heat washed over both of them.

When Lucy groaned into their kiss, her overactive imagination quickly taking over, she finally realized she wasn't dreaming and this was actually happening. Natsu's hand was on her hip, _squeezing_ her hip, his other hand held hers intimately captive above her head. His chest was bare, and her breasts, covered only with a thin silk tank top, were firmly pressed against him. Their legs were intertwined beneath the blankets and she could feel the heat radiating from him in waves as he _kissed_ her. _Really_ kissed her! To say she was slow on the uptake was an understatement and as shock, surprise, fear, and excitement ran through her at the same time she did the only thing she could think of. Her eyes snapped open and she gasped, shoving the fire dragon slayer off of her and jumping back. "Natsu?!" she shrieked, holding the blankets up to her heaving chest protectively. "What," she stuttered, her cheeks immediately turning as red as Erza's hair as her fingers touched her lips. She could still taste him, could still feel his lips on hers. _Wait, was none of that a dream?! Are we in my bed? How the hell did we get here?!_ "What the hell are you doing here?"

Natsu didn't resist her when she shoved him. In fact he partially jumped back out of his own surprise. His mouth was open as his cheeks immediately started to darken. It wasn't a Lucy Kick, but her reaction hurt nearly just as bad and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. Had he been wrong to think she was enjoying the kiss? "Luce! I," he started, not sure what else to do or say. He dropped his eyes and scratched the back of his neck.

"What are you doing here?!" she demanded again, no longer yelling but her voice still harsh.

He dropped his hand to his lap and forced himself to look at her. Even though the room was dark, he could see her as though it was the middle of the afternoon. She was trembling beneath the blankets, although from what emotion he couldn't be sure. She had her legs pulled up toward her chest and held the blankets tightly to her, using them as a shield to keep him at bay and that little movement was enough to make a lump form in the back of his throat. He was wrong. He had been so wrong… "I'm back," he whispered.

Although her eyes were not as good as Natsu's, Lucy could see the dejected fall to his shoulders. His cheeks looked darker than they usually did, making Lucy's mouth fall open in surprise. _Is he… blushing?! Natsu?! Blushing?!_ "Natsu?" she whispered, dropping her legs to the side. Her concern for him outweighed her own nervousness.

"Luce," he breathed her name like it was a source of strength for him – and it was – but the raw emotion was clear in Natsu's voice. Even when he was upset, the strength in Natsu's voice was obvious. She could count on one hand the number of times it hadn't been. But this depth of emotion in his tone was new to her. When she looked up at him with wide, confused eyes, he cleared his throat and had to swallow before he could continue. "D-Did Erza tell you I tried to convince them to let you come with me?"

Despite the circumstances, the corners of Lucy's mouth tugged up into a smile. "I didn't know until tonight. But I managed to get it out of Mira after Gray let something slip." Natsu's eyes darted to hers at that comment, a wave of heat bursting from him.

"I haven't been on a job without you in such a long time it didn't feel right to go without you."

Lucy felt tears stinging her eyes as a lump formed in her throat. Hadn't she felt the same way? Hadn't she been lost without him this past week? "Natsu," she started.

He held up a hand to stop her. "I'm not finished." When he looked at her again, his dark eyes practically glowed in the darkness. Heat rolled off of him again, hitting her like a wave and she could see the darkness in his cheeks deepen. The change startled her enough that she reached out to grip his hand out of sheer reflex. He looked at her hand like he debated if he should hold it. He held it. "I know I wasn't gone long, but I had to come here as soon as I could. I even sent Happy home without me."

Looking around the dark apartment, Lucy realized for the first time that they were completely alone, which was rare, for Happy was usually virtually attached to Natsu's hip. It was then that she realized, not for the first time, that they were actually in her bed when she had passed out on the couch. "How did we get in my bed?" she asked.

His blush deepening, Natsu shrugged and averted his eyes. His discomfort made Lucy's chest feel warm and bubbly, her stomach fluttering. It was all so unlike him. "I wouldn't feel right sleeping here without you."

Lucy giggled, pulling her hand from his to cover her mouth. He mistook her laughter, his face falling, until she slapped his shoulder. "Natsu, you idiot!"

"What?"

"Do you have any idea why I was sleeping on the couch?"

He blinked, his eyes moving to the couch, then back to her. "No?"

"Because my bed felt too big and lonely without _you_ in it!" Her face erupted into a smile when she finished, which only widened when he smiled. The melancholy was gone from his eyes and his signature grin, the grin she loved, was back. The two quickly erupted into laughter, falling onto their backs in the bed and laughing until tears ran from their eyes.

When their laughter finally died down, Lucy and Natsu found themselves gazing into each other's eyes, looking deeper than they had ever dared to look before. Their cheeks were warm and their hearts were racing, but for once they weren't shying away from their feelings and they weren't trying to squash them either. For once they welcomed the overwhelming rush of closeness, love, and yes, desire, as their fingers at first gently brushed together before intertwining.

Natsu's thoughts from the shower were quickly rushing back to him and his eyes darkened as he suddenly had to swallow. Lucy didn't understand his discomfort as she scooted closer, sighing happily when he wrapped his arms around her once more. "So I wasn't dreaming earlier then, was I?"

His chuckle was loud against her ear. "No. I was trying to wake you up for a while although that originally wasn't my plan."

She pulled back just far enough to look into his eyes. "No? Then what was your plan?"

He shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. "I have no idea."

Giggling, she snuggled into him. "I'm not surprised."

He couldn't resist squeezing her until she grunted. "Hey, you were mumbling and talking in your sleep. Were you dreaming about me?"

"Natsu!" she cried, trying to push away from him and only making him squeeze her harder. _Crap! He can't know that!_

"I knew it, you were!"

"Shut up! No I wasn't!" Her cheeks burned as she fought him.

"Were too!"

"For Mavis's sake!"

He stopped her arguments by pressing his lips to hers once more. This time she was fully awake, but they were both still surprised, and he immediately pulled back. "I-is that OK now?" he whispered, all thoughts of laughter gone from the two of them.

 _Since when does Natsu stutter?_ "Yes," she whispered, and reached up to pull his lips back to hers. This time she was able to wrap her arms around his neck and return his kiss as fully as she intended, sighing in content when his arms slipped around her waist and held her close. Her fingers plunged into his wild hair and she giggled when he nibbled on her lower lip. They separated moments later, breathless, and Natsu rested his forehead against hers. "Natsu?" Lucy whispered, her eyes still closed as she basked in his warmth.

"Hmm?" he asked, running his hand up and down her back.

"I'm glad you're home."

He dropped his head, burying his face in her shoulder before planting a kiss there. "I don't want you to ever have to sleep on the couch again," he whispered in her ear, making her squirm.


End file.
